Written by Dr. Rose Marie Toussaint

Reviewed By Maxine E. Thompson

We often hear about people falling through the "cracks" when they have been shut out of "The American Dream" Or, in other words, when people are unable, for whatever reasons, to access into the goods and services of this country, they are considered casualties of America’s mainstream. But this implies that only poor people fall through the cracks. In that case, Columbine High School is an oxymoron --a case of children of privilege, who grew up with the American Dream. So what went wrong? There will be years of lengthy debate to try to answer that question.

In the main, though, Eurocentric thought implies that having money is a prerequisite to raising emotionally healthy children. However, we only have to look at Columbine to know that something is wrong with this philosophy. Even so, one thing is clear. To read Dr. Rose Marie Toussaint’s moving memoire, one will see that having money does not always equate with rearing healthy, productive adults.

So let’s take a look at the converse of this; people growing up in "The cracks" of poverty. When I think of Dr. Rose Marie Toussaint’s life story, it recalls to mind the theme of the old best-selling classic, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Remember how this plain tree grew tall --right within in the cracks of the sidewalk, in none other than the poverty-ridden tenements of early 1900 Brooklyn? This tree became the symbol of the American Dream. It represented all the immigrants overcoming hardships in spite of limited circumstances. Immigrants pulling themselves up by their bootstraps when they had no boots.

Likewise, Dr. Rose Marie Toussaint is the personification of this Dream. She has defied the odds and rose from Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, to become a top surgeon here in America. She is not only breaking barriers by being a female of African descent, she is doing this in a white male-dominated field.

Her book, Never Question the Miracle, the memoire about this unusual journey, is more than just a tale of Miracles. It is a tale of the mind, spirit, body connection. How it affects our health. So how does one travel the journey from Haiti to being a lead surgeon in a white-male dominated field? As her profession and business indicates, the answer is a holistic approach.

When questioned as to if her spiritual training was responsible for her success, Dr. Toussaint said, “Even though I had my grandfather as a role model for daily prayer for example, I had to personally integrate it in my life by meditating daily combine with an exercise regimen. In other words, in our spiritual growth, each one of us must apply ourselves personally and endeavor to do our spiritual work conscientiously. It will not just fall on our laps because of our upbringing.”

Let’s look and see what Dr. Toussaint brings to the table with her spiritual philosophy about the mind, spirit body connection.

Briefly, these are 7 Steps of Dr. Toussaint’s program to holistic rejuvenation. the seven steps of Rejuvenation are

1. Diet & Nutrition
2. Exercise & Yoga
3. Herbs for detoxification, & cleansing
4. Herbs for strengthening, revitalizing, energizing, & healing
5. Emotional rejuvenation
6. Mental rejuvenation, when we have detoxify from negative emotions such as anger, jealousy fear etc. our mental state tends to be one of thinking too much about the future or worrying, or planning and just thinking about each and everything. The goal of mental rejuvenation is to 'be' by stopping this mental inner chatter which robs us of the inner contact with the Inner Divine Self.
7. spiritual growth and development occur in the Inner Golden Silence where our Inner Divine Self merges with the God-Self or the Creator, God, or whatever term one uses for God.

In general, Dr. Toussaint feels rejuvenation is essential to your vitality, creativity, inner peace, and happiness. She also went on to say, "Personally, I combine exercise/yoga, emotional rejuvenation, mental and spiritual growth, for as I exercise, I endeavor to not think at all. But if I have to think, I consciously forego negative thoughts and pray to God instead. In other words, during exercise, only positive healing thoughts are allowed in my mind."

In holistic medicine, people are learning how to get connected with who they are historically and spiritually. And when it comes down to it, people have a personal responsibility for their own health and happiness. The bottom line is this: Some people are not dealt "story book" hands in this kaleidoscope called "life". Moreover, these seemingly "invulnerable people" can be born into poverty, yet rise above it. They can have lousy parents or none, still they become successful human beings. So what is their secret? They, in essence, have to recreate themselves and build themselves "from the floor up." Perhaps many of these people unknowingly practice the holistic principles Dr. Toussaint promotes.

This is the mystery of that spirit-body-mind connection. It is limitless. Dr. Toussaint’s life in itself has been a miracle. But it is the message of her healing profession, to me, that says a Higher Power, not man is in charge. And what God has in the plan, no man can change, either through colonialism, imperialism or racism. Please visit her web page at http://www.horuscorp.com for more information.